SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed eight people are dead after two suspected smuggling boats capsized near Blacks Beach in La Jolla.
“Another tragic situation where we have loss of life,” said Pedro Rios, an immigration advocate.
The fire department said the call came Saturday night around midnight. Officials say the caller said one boat had eight people and the second had 15 people on board. Lifeguards and the U.S. Coast Guard recovered eight bodies, but no survivors.
“This is one of the worst maritime smuggling tragedy that I can think of in California, certainly here in San Diego,” said Chief James Gartland of the San Diego Fire Department.
Before arriving at the border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection encourages migrants to use the CBP one app. In the app, people can schedule an interview to make a claim for asylum.
Click here to view the details of CBP One.
Rios said that the system is just another obstacle for migrants.
“Large families aren’t able to complete the application in time, to get a meeting to present themselves,” he said. “Sometimes, darker skin migrants face isn’t read by the application.”
Rios said the next option can be risky.
“What we know is a lot of people become frustrated and desperate when asylum measures don’t exist for them. When they present themselves at a port of entry and the doors are closed, that means they try to cross into the U.S. through dangerous methods, including the maritime crossings,” Rios said.
Gartland said it’s unclear how the two boats overturned; however, he said the area is known to be dangerous. The fire chief said that even during the daytime, the area has a series of sand bars coupled with inshore rip currents.
“So you could think that you could land in some sand or get in waist-high knee-high water and think you are safe and able to exit the water, but there are long inshore holes. So, if you step into holes, those rip currents will pull you along the shore and back out to sea,” Gartland said.
As President Joe Biden plans to visit San Diego on Monday, Rios has a message on behalf of people who are fleeing harm and wish to make asylum claims.
“Need to be welcomed with dignity. What that means is having their humanitarian needs met, means ensuring when they arrive to the U.S. that they are not placed with obstacles, more resources at the border, and resources that process people in a humane way,” Rios said.
